Outboard motor thrust and tilt lock adjustment



Jan. 29, 1952 L Q WATKlNS 2,583,910

OUTBOARD MOTOR THRUST AND TILT LOCK ADJUSTMENT Filed March 4, 1948 JNVENTOR. uc/a5 D. WQrK//v A T'TE/VE V5 Patented Jan. 29, 1952 ,3,533,910 I l l OUTBOARD MOTOR THRUST AND TILT LOCK lADJUSTMENT Lucius D. Watkins, yMilwaukee., Wis., assignor to Outboard, Marine & Manufaeturing Company, Waukegan, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application March f1, 1948, Serial No. 13,036

9 Claims.

This invention relates to outboard motor thrust and tilt lock adjustments.

j It is a primary object of the invention to pro vide simplified means for the adjustmentof .the thrust member which transmits to an outboard I motor bracket the thrust developed by the motor,Y ,j and to which member the motor proper is automatically locked when rotated to reversing position so that it cannot tilt away from such Y member when the direction of -thrust is reversed.

In addition to specific improvements in the outboard motor bracket and its supporting bearing, the invention contemplates a novel and im- Y proved arrangement whereby the thrust member 'is manually adjustable to a variety of positions respecting the bracket without requiring either j the use of tools or manipulation of any nutfor bolt, the member being subject to manipulation by theoperators ngertip with the greatest ease and yet being adapted fxedly to maintainits adjustment under all conditions of motor operation. The above and other objects of the invention will appear more fully from the following `disclosure thereof.

`In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a complete outboard motor embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view `in axial section through the mounting member and the adjustable thrust element showing .the

' means for supporting and adjusting such element.

' motor is beingoperated in reverse.

Fig. 5 is a view taken in transverse sectie substantially on the line u5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view taken 'in transverse section at a lower leveltha-n Fig. '5

and showing the outboard motor in processor rotation for reversal. I

In accordance with conventional practicathe outboard motor embodying this inventionfcomprises a power head generically designated A"by reference character I connected by a tubular v shaft housing 8 with a lower unit 9 which"2con-f tains the usual gearing (not shown) the propeller III.

The power head l, shaft housing 8 and lower unit 9 are all in rigid assembly,` rotatable"uni for driving tarily for steering and reversing, and mounted` for that purposein the bearing member |2."` T`he bearing member, as best shown in Fig. 2, ycomprises a` generally tubular portion extending downwardly from the tiller bushing I3 to` the upper end of the lower unit 9. f The tiller I4 5 to absorb power head vibration.

projects from the bushing I3 immediately beneath the power head. A rubber cushion I5, a fragment of which appears in Fig. 2, is interposed between the tiller sleeve |3 and the power head In order to yieldably hold the tiller in any position to which it may be adjusted, the tiller sleeve I3 is clamped in the bearing member |2 which, for this purpose, is slotted at I5 (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3l the slot 10 being spanned by a clamp bolt I'I which passes through bosses I8, I9, at opposite sides of the slot as a means of tightening the bearing memberk |2 upon sleeve I3.

The slot I6 extends into the supporting arm 20 which is fulcrumed on the pintle bolt 2| of the bracket 22.

`The bracket, generically designated at 22, may

conveniently be made in practice of two separately fabricated parts 23,24 spaced to receive the arm 22 and connected at their upper ends on the `transom of the boat.

by the pintle bolt 2|. Each of the component parts of the bracket is provided with a threaded boss at 25 for one of the clamp screws 26 by means of which the outboard motor is mounted The respective bracket parts 23 and 24 are provided near their lower ends with complementary transversely extendingstraps 2l, 28 which, as best shown` in Fig. 5, are formed to lap each other in order ,that they may be secured by a rivet at 23, or

otherwise.

The respective bracket parts 23 and. 24 comprise transom engaging flanges 3D and outwardly extending wing portions 3|, 32, respectively. The respective wing portions 3|, 32 havesegmental flanges 33, 34 (ci. Figs. 2, 3 and 5), the

respective flanges being formed to provide integral pockets 35 in parallel arcuate series concentric with the pintle bolt 2| upon which `the outboard motor assembly is tiltable in a vertical plane upon striking a submerged object.

A` thrust bar 33 has its ends seated in corresponding pockets 35 at opposite sides of the bracket. To it is welded or otherwise connected a controllever 3l which preferably has a iinger piece 38 projecting laterally for convenient manipulation. The lever extends above the thrust element 36 and is similarly connected by welding or otherwise to a guide bar 39, the ends of which are engaged in the channels 4|) in the wing portions 3|, 32 of therespective bracket parts 23, 24. The guide bar 39 normally rests near the bottoms of the opposing channel 40 as shown in Figs. 2 to 4, being urged downwardly by a tension `spring 4|. Under the bias of the spring 4I,

the thrust element36 is securely fixed with its ends in opposing pockets 35. However, a relatively light touch on the handle 38 of lever131 will lift the lever 3l, the thrust elementf36 and the guide element 39 sufliciently so that the thrust.` element can readily be manipulated from 3 one pocket4 to lanother to ilxV a thrustiposition in which the.A bearing member l2 and-the' outboard Vmotor assembly mounted therein will be substantially upright. Thus it requires but a moment to` effect an adjustment of the outboard motor assembly to upright `position' to. t the angle .of inclination of the transom of any boat,

and such adjustment is made by simply raising the handle 38l to free the .element 38 fromrthe,

notches in which its ends are then engaged, and thereupon manipulating it to the desired new position and releasing it for reengagementwith' another set of notches.

The bearing memberl2, which is generally circular as shown in Fig; 2, is provided with forwardly directed reenforcing ilanges 43, 44 which are continuous verticallythroughout its height VandV extend outwardly as a part of ther integral armZD above described. These nanges bear at their lower forward margins against the thrust element 36, as is best shown in Fig. 5. Pivoted between these anges isa reverse lock made in one piece to comprise a pair of spaced hooksl 45 integrally joined bya web at 4S, the reversev lock being pivoted on a pintle 41 and urged downwardly by the bias of spring 48.

VvThe upper end of the lower unit 9 comprises a `wide and somewhat elliptical plate 49 which, in thenormal forwardpropulsion position of the outboard motor engages the' web 46 of the reverse. latch to support the latch in the position shown in Fig. 2 where its hooks 45 are' raised out off contact with the thrust bar 36. However, if the outboard motor is rotated somewhat beyond normal steering range, as is the case where it is to. be. turned 180 degrees forreversal, as soon asV the outboard motor reaches the angular position shown in- Fig. 6, the upper terminal 49 of its lower unit will pass. fromv beneath the web 46 of the. reverse latch, thereby allowing reverse. latch to move downwardly V(counterclockwise as viewed in. Fig.. 4) until its hooks 45 engage the thrust bar 36, thereby securely latching the bearing element VI2 .to the bracket to preclude any tilting such as would otherwise occur when the motor is turned beyond the position of Fig. .6 to reverse thedirection of. propeller thrust.. i

It will be evident that when the motor is restored to its position of forward propulsion. by f movement such as` occurs in a clockwise direction from4 the position of Fig. 6,7the upper terminal portion 49 of the lower unit will, in moving beneath the web 46 of the reverse. latch, exertr a camming action on the reverse latch tending to` lift the latch and thereby to disengage itshooks' from the thrust element 36.

The operation may be. summarized as follows: The assembly comprising the power head1,

`the'shaft housingv 8 and the lower unit 9 isrotat able; for steering and for reversing in a bearing member I2. The said assembly is also tiltable Y 'as aY unit withothe bearing member I2 about a -fulcrum provided by pintle bolt 2| of bracket 22 for two purposes; rst, for adjustment to upright position to lcompensatefor the inclination of the .boatv transom 55, andsecondly, forfree tilting vrmovement if the lower unit 9 encounters a submerged obstruction during use.

Adjustment. of the tiltable, partsito a positionV f in which suchparts.` have, or appear tohave,v an

upright position, is achieved byan adiustment 1 off the thrust element 36 ofthe bracket, which is eirfectedso easily as to be susceptible of fingertip operation. With Athe outboard motor idle,. sothat `there is no thrust exerted. by theYpropeller-on 4 the element 35, the handle 38 is Apushed upwardly to disengage element '36 from thenotches or recesses provided by the bracket at the opposite ends of bar 36. Once disengaged from such notches, the bar may readily be manipulated by handle '38 of lever 31 to aV diierent notch, in any of which it will function as a part of the bracket toreceive the propeller thrustrand to transmit suchl thrust through' the bracket to the boat. The thrust element or bar 39 and lever 3l are guided for adjusting movement by means of the guidememberorbar39, the ends of which are -confined in'channels 4B which accommodate the bodily upward displacement of thrust element 3E matically by the latch hooks 45' whenever the portions unitarily rotatable for steering and reversingl are rotated beyond normal steering range as indicated in'Fig. 6 and Fig. 4; Within the vnormal steering range, the hooks 45 are engaged by the top of the lower unit and oscillated tothe releasing position shown in'Fig. 2, allowing free tilting of the tiltableparts. Outside of the steering range of rotative adjustment of the lower unit, the hooks are permitted to descend into a position for interlocking 4engagement with the thrust element 36 of the bracket so that not- .withstandin'g that the propeller thrust is now directed astern, the otherwise tiltableparts` are restrained from tilting. Because the segmental anges 33 34 are disposed on an arc about. the center of the pintle ybolt 2l, it will be apparent that in all positions ofthe thrust element 43G, the

, same relationship between such thrust element and the hooks 45 will be maintained, to. permit of the automatic engagement and Vrelease ofthe hooks with such element as the rotatable parts are rotated. Y

Iclaim: Y.

1. In an outboard motor,.the combination with transom bracket means including articulatingV means, of a propelling assemblyv mounted. on said articulating means and tiltable thereon to.- and from operative propelling position, Vandia. thrust y element dening said position and adaptedV to receive' the,- thrust of said assembly, .ther said bracket means providing surfaces defininga .plu-

rality of positionsfor said element, .thezsaidz surfaces comprising notches at laterally. spaced points on the bracket means and the element havingspaced portions engagedin. corresponding notchesand being adjustable by disengaging it from onerpair ofnotches andv engaging'it' in Y another-pair thereof, and a guide elementA separate. from said assemblyV and connected with the .thrust element. for maintaining the connection of the thrust element with thebracket while accommodating the adjustment. aforesaid, the said. bracket means having ways. in. which vthe jguideY element isr confined for limited movement 1' inthe course ofadjustment of; the thrust element.. .1 :V 'f -1 2. Thecombination .set forth in. claim*r 1minV .furthercombination with biasing means .acting uponioneof said elements ina direction tourgeV the said portions of the thrust element into the respective notches with which it is engaged.

3. The combination set forth in claim l in transom bracket means provided with a pintle.

of a, bearing member pivoted on said pintle for tilting movement in a vertical plane, a unitary assembly comprising a power head, shaft housing and lower unit swiveled in said member and adapted to partake of the tilting movement thereof, a thrust element adjustably mounted on the bracket means and engaged in the tilting of said member and assembly under forward propulsive of thrust, said bracket means being provided with a series of upwardly opening notches laterally spaced in pairs and with which spaced portions of said element are selectively engageable to dene diierent positions of said element, and a guide element separate from said assembly and connected for limited movement with the bracket means and with said thrust element and adapted to accommodate upward and fore and aft movement of the thrust element in the course of the adjustment of the latter between selected pairs of notches.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in further combination with a spring connected with the guide element and acting downwardly thereon for biasing said thrust element into a selected pair of notches.

6. In an outboard motor, the combination with bracket means provided with a transverse pintle and a pair of spaced latch arms provided with notches in laterally spaced pairs, of an outboard motor assembly pivoted on said pintle and normally disposed between said arms, a thrust element with which said assembly is normally engaged and from which it is movable rearwardly about the pintle, said thrust element having spaced portions selectively engageable with the spaced notches of a given pair, means biasing said element into the selected pair of notches, and means separate from said assembly for guiding said element for adjustment from a selected pair of notches against said bias into engagement with the notches of a different pair, said guiding means comprising a control lever connected to said element, a guide bar connected with the lever above said element, said bracket means being provided with guide slots in which said bar is movable upwardly and is also oscillatable in the course of the disengaging and adjusting movements of said thrust element.

7. In an outboard motor, the combination with transom bracket means provided with a transverse pintle, of a bearing member provided with a forwardly extending arm fulcrumed on said pintle, a unitary assembly of power head shaft housing and lower unit swiveled on said bearing member for rotation therein and to partake of pivotal movement of said bearing member about said pintle, said bracket means comprising laterally spaced rearwardly extending wing portions between which a part of said bearing member is normally disposed, said wing portions having segmental fianges provided with opposing pairs of notches in series about said pintle, a thrust element comprising a bar having in its ends engaged in corresponding notches and positioned to receive the thrust of said assembly, said element being adjustable from engagement in the notches of one pair to engagement with the notches of another pair, a guide bar, a lever extending from the guide bar to the thrust element, said bracket means having ways in which the guide bar is reciprocable and oscillatable in the course of adjustment of the thrust element, and a spring biasing the thrust element into the notches in which it is selectively engaged.

8. In an outboard motor, the combination with transom bracket means provided with a transverse pintle, of a bearing member provided with a forwardly extending arm fulcrumed on said pintle, a unitary assembly of power head shaft housing and lower unit swiveled on said bearing member for rotation therein and to partake of pivotal movement of said bearing member about said pintle, said bracket means comprising laterally spaced rearwardly extending wing portions between which a part of said bearing member is normally disposed, said wing portions having segmental anges provided with opposing pairs of notches in arcuate series about said pintle, a thrust element comprising a bar having its ends engaged in corresponding notches and positioned to receive the thrust of said assembly, said element being adjustable from engagement in the notches of one pair to engagement with the notches of another pair, a guide bar, a lever extending from the guide bar to the thrust element, said bracket means having ways in which the guide bar is reciprocable and oscillatable in the course of adjustment of the thrust element, and a spring biasing the thrust element downwardly into the notches in which it is selectively engaged, said bearing member being provided with a hook in pivotal connection therewith for movement to and from interlocking engagement with the thrust element, said lower unit being provided with a cam normally engaged during forward l propulsion with said hooks for elevating the hooks to a releasing position, said hooks being biased for engagement with the thrust element in the course of lower unit rotation to a position where said cam is no longer effective thereon.

9. In an outboard motor adapted for swingable suspension on a transom bracket and having a bearing member and a lower unit swiveled on said bearing member, said transom bracket comprising spaced rearwardly extending segmental flanges with opposing pairs of notches, the combination of a thrust element comprising a bar having ends engageable in corresponding notches and positioned to receive the thrust of a motor, and a hook in pivoted connection with said bearing member for movement to and from interlocking engagement with the thrust element, said lower unit being provided with a cam normally engaged duringI forward propulsion with said hooks for elevating the hooks to a releasing position, said hooks being biased for engagement with the thrust element in the course of the lower units rotation to a position where said cam is no longer effective thereon.

LUCIUS D. WATKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,127,744 Linthwaite Aug. 23, 1938 2,441,000 Armstrong May 4, 1948 

